Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

I would say I lean more traditionally, but my Priest thinks it's ridiculous, and a Monk seems concerned so I confused. I personally don't think that God would punish an innocent child. My husband did not want to abstain during Lent. I could have or not. It was dependent on him. He is deployed now so now I am abstaining :-)

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

When I went to New Gracanica For Resurrection Matins ,They Used Quite a Bit Of english ,it's sounded Awful especially the choir, I even let the Chior know that they sounded Awful ,when we were in line to recieve the red eggs.....

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

I have been studying Orthodoxy for nearly 7 months now, but I seem to be going around in circles in regards to some issues; when I seem to resolve an issue, a few new ones pop up to create more stumbling blocks for me. For 7 years of my life I was a Muslim; I then discovered Christianity through the Bible and professed faith in Christ. Then for another 6 years I had considered myself a Christian without any denomination, but that always bothered me that the Protestants were all so divided and contradicting of one another. So i've come to a certain conclusion (for many reasons) that Protestantism is actually anti-christian. So i'm now praying that Christ will deliver me to His one true Church - which is the Catholic faith - but which one?

Right now my biggest issue is who's claim to be the original Church is legitimate - Roman Catholicism or Orthodox Catholicism? From my understanding, the Archbishop of Rome (the Pope) was universally recognized to be the leader of the Church. So why did the Eastern churches deny his authority, which seemed to have existed ever since St.Peter? The Folioque is another issue as well ,and to be honest it's not an issue I find easy to make a decision on; both sides can make convincing arguments on the matter - so i'd rather focus on who has the true authority to make a final decision.

Orthodox claims to have continued on a straight path ever since the day of Pentecost, but I see so many schisms in it's history. The Coptic Orthodox schism in particular seems very ridiculous to me, seeing how both the Eastern Orthodox and Coptics both believe in the same exact thing (with different phrasing). Yet it's taken hundreds upon hundreds of years, and they're now just starting to slowly resolve the issues. It just seems to me that the Church has grown overly bureaucratic and prideful; whereas Christ would want the Church to humble itself and make amends with each other quickly - as unresolved conflict amongst brethren is quite the serious sin according to the Bible.

Then there's the matter of evangelism. When you look at the Apostles and early christians, they were constantly striving to deliver the good news of Christ to the world. If Orthodoxy is the true Church, and it alone holds the Holy Sacraments and other powers of the Holy Spirit, then why isn't the Orthodox Church making greater effort to spread the truth to the world - particularly America? If all the Patriarchates are in full communion with one another - why don't they make more attempt to work together and spread the gospel and do the good works of Christ on a united front? Most Orthodox churches i've seen in America seem to get together for the occasional Greek Festival, or celebration of a particular holy day, but never get together to fullfill the Great Commission or unleash the gifts of the Holy Spirit upon the earth.

Then there's the issue of the local Churches I been visiting. When I walk into the first Antiochian church I ever been to, I see the "One Eye" centered in the middle of all the Holy Icons and Tabernacle. From my experience, this is an occult symbol associated with Masonry. From what I have read, Orthodoxy prohibits membership to Free Masonry. So is my association of the "One Eye" with Free Masonry wrong do you think, or is this an ancient Christian symbol? From my research thus far, I am leery of infiltration in the Church (ex: Soviet infiltration nearly wiped Orthodoxy off the planet in the USSR).

So my viewpoint thus far, is that Roman Catholics seem to be in better communion globally, and pool their resources toward evangelism more effectively. So i'd like to know if my viewpoint wrong - if so why? I have many other issues to discuss (Roman & Orthodox views of homosexually, Marriage, the "many paths that lead to the same God" lie, and others) but will delay them for another time. I know some of the things i've said might offend, but they're serious issues I believe we all must be honest with ourselves; my mind is open to listen to anything you all might have to say. I thank you in advance for helping me with these questions.

Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on us - sinners!

I haven't finished my first cup of coffee yet, so I'll have to return to this, but in the meantime, what type of Muslim background are you from, if I may ask?

Also, remember that Orthodoxy is the right religion, it is just given to the wrong people. The Church is the only institution dedicated to those who shouldn't be in it.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

What a shame and publicity stunt! In case of emergency (Death Bed or going to War) where massive Water is not available they could pour as an "economia" but if the recepients were to survive they would have to be properly Baptised.In Serbia since the Communist take-over almost NO-ONE who wants to be in good will with ALL is Canonically administering the mystery of Baptism.In the picture of Decani Monastery it looks like Bp.Artemy is standing on the shore while His Vicar is immersing,and most are familiar how Bp.Artemy is being persecuted currently.In the book of needs,it fully explains what a Bishop should do to a Priest who does not Baptise correctly,when there is no emergency;the Priest should be Defrocked! but then again the Bishop would have to be Orthodox.Is there any wonder why Holy Serbia is getting smaller and smaller all the time?Such utter BS.Warmest paschal greetings.

Logged

Quote from: GabrieltheCelt

If you spend long enough on this forum, you'll come away with all sorts of weird, untrue ideas of Orthodox Christianity.

Quote from: orthonorm

I would suggest most persons in general avoid any question beginning with why.

I notice that in one post you mention your desire to pray more and your love for a particular office of prayer, yet your posts so frequently show the same hot-tempered snarkiness that defines this thread. Do you not notice the disconnect?

I feel like the more I learn about Orthodoxy, the less I want to study Orthodoxy. And I'm not even talking about the nature of the Trinity or prayer. I'm talking about issues like the calendar, the OCA, ecumenism, heterodoxy blah blah blah.

The academic part of me is curious and soaking up all the info like a sponge. The other part of me thinks, "Who really cares?" I think God will laugh at me and say, "Why didn't you spend your time with your family instead of reading articles online about a certain priest in the OCA?"

I just WANT TO BE ORTHODOX. Does that make any sense? I think I'm going crazy.

Does anyone think I should just ask FrChris permission to access the private fora even though I haven't even been here for two weeks? I guess it couldn't hurt to try.

So... should I? I just want to get advice from more experienced posters on OC.net so I don't look like a complete fool for asking him prematurely. But, I assume 'one month' means 'one month'. I was just wondering if there were any exceptions.

I heard a story about someone who was here 3 weeks and asked FrChris to join the private fora. FrChris showed up at his house and murdered his entire family.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

She's touring the facility/and picking up slack.--"For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow." Ecclesiastes 1:18--I once believed in causes too, I had my pointless point of view --Life went on no matter who was wrong or right

Does anyone think I should just ask FrChris permission to access the private fora even though I haven't even been here for two weeks? I guess it couldn't hurt to try.

So... should I? I just want to get advice from more experienced posters on OC.net so I don't look like a complete fool for asking him prematurely. But, I assume 'one month' means 'one month'. I was just wondering if there were any exceptions.

I heard a story about someone who was here 3 weeks and asked FrChris to join the private fora. FrChris showed up at his house and murdered his entire family.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

Guess what, guys and gals.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š All this re-hashed arguing is irrelevant if the recently signed documents mean what they appear to mean - that ROCOR is back in full communion with the MP, and thusly the other "world" Orthodox jurisdictions.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š It's utterly meaningless to continue going over the Sergianism bugaboo if ROCOR has apparently gotten over it.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š Unless, of course, you're in a parish that's about to go "Protestantal", so to speak, and bolt ROCOR to create a new True ROCOR jurisdiction.

And give us a Russian Orthodox Church Outside the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia? (ROCOROCOR if you want the acronym)

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.